Anthem [Hardcover]

Shainee Gabel (Author), Kristin Hahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1997

In the spirit of John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, this is the enthralling chronicle of an epic road trip in search of a new definition of the American dream.

In 1995, two young women who had been living and working in Hollywood quit their jobs to begin an epic journey across the country. Fed up with the cynicism surrounding them, they started writing to individuals whom they believed were shaping the way Americans think, believe and live -- individuals they hoped to interview along the way. Responding to nothing more than the passion of their letter, about 60 very special people eventually replied, and "Anthem" was born.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

The record of a four-month-long trip around America with a videocamera in 1995, in search of some defining ideas of American purpose and identity, by two young women who make very pleasant company. The virtue of the narrative (a feature-length documentary is also being released) is that Gabel and Hahn's winning sincerity gained them entry to a number of influential figures, from George Stephanopoulos to George McGovern, and from Robert Redford to Hunter S. Thompson, and their wide-eyed fascination with what they found clearly touched a number of their subjects. Some of their interviews (with the rap artist Chuck D and the environmental activist Wes Jackson, for instance) did provoke some frank answers. The drawback is that their questions tend to be somewhat simplistic, and their reactions to their surroundings are uninformed by much sense of history, focusing on matters (the extraordinary variety of American landscapes, life on the road) that may be new to them but that have been thoroughly covered by many before them. A work of modest but real charm. (First printing of 75,000) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

... we concede that this roaming book of diaries and dialogues ... is very pleasing. The two are so earnest, so honest about their foibles as they pursue and capture interview prey ... that ... you're quickly disarmed. -- Entertainment Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 394 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (August 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380974193
• ISBN-13: 978-0380974191
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,064,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More relevant than ever!, October 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Anthem (Hardcover)

The wisdom in the pages of this wonderful book is more relevant than ever. American's from across the political, social, and economic spectrum speak about what it means to be American, the myth and the reality. The icons are interesting, but not because they are famous. They are interesting because they are saying the sames things that the waitress and the gas station attendant. We are all participating in the great American experiment, rich and poor, famous and anonymous. And now that the icon that is America is under attack, this book is a refreshing and much needed look at the ideas, challenges, and tensions that, sewn together, make up our national fabric. Buy this book and share it with a friend. The world will be better for it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I saw the movie, now I'm ordering the book., May 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Anthem: An American Road Story (Paperback)

I'm ordering "Athem: An American Road Story" because I first saw the documentary. The flawed cinematography almost adds to the freshness of the concept and the sincerity of the creators.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, thought provoking, March 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Anthem (Hardcover)

Anthem is a delightful and thought provoking book that successfully provides the reader with an entertaining snap shot of the common threads of a nation and her people. From the waitress to the politician to the musician the, voices of Americans explaining "what it is like to be an American" are clearly heard. The writers are entertaining and loveable as they travel the country in search of answers. I was sure I was with them in the White House when their camera equipment hit a piece of furniture.